Adjustable target holder



March 5, 1963 w. H. R. CLARK- 3,080,166

ADJUSTABLE TARGET HOLDER Filed Sept. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/6 2 a 20 I 20 INVENTOR. WILL/AM H. R. CLARK March 5, 1963 w. H. R. CLARK 3,080,166

ADJUSTABLE TARGET HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1960 INVENTOR. W/LL/AM H. R. CLARK A TTOPNEVS United States Patent Ofifice Sfldfidhfi Patented Mar. 5, 1953 ship Filed Sept. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 57,504 3 Claims. ((31. 273-102) This invention relates to target holders in general. More particularly, this invention relates to an adjustable target holder in which targets of various sizes may be supported in a stretched or taut condition.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable target holder.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjust able target holder of simple construction into which the paper targets may be easily inserted.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable target holder employing a frame of sturdy construction which is provided with a plurality of alligator clips for gripping the target which are easily replaceable in case they are damaged during use.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable target holder which is provided with a U-shaped frame made of two parts that are adjustable with respect to each other to accommodate different size targets.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawings.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided an improved adjustable tmget holder which is provided with a U-shaped frame made up of two parts that are adjustable with respect to each other so that different size targets may be supported between the upright members thereof. These upright members are provided with a plurality of holes into which the shanks of the alligator clips are inserted and these shankstare thereafter crimped so that the alligator clips are supported in the holes in rigid horizontal position projecting inward into the U-shaped frame so that the target may be inserted into the jaws thereof and supported thereby.

The upright members of the U-shaped members are sprung outward slightly so that they tilt outward at an angle of approximately degrees from vertical. The purpose of this is to provide a spring tension on the target supported between these upright members. Thus when a target is inserted into the jaws of the alligator clips of one upright member, the target is then stretched toward the other upright member which is pressed into its vertical position and the target then inserted into the jaws of the alligator clips thereof.

The alligator clips employed in this invention for holding the target in the U-shaped member are readily replaceaible in case any of said clips are damaged during use. These clips are provided with tubular shanks the diameters of which are equal to the diameter of the holes formed in the upright members so that these shanks may be snugly received in said holes and thereafter the protruding part of the shank is crimped by applying a suitable crimping tool such as a pair of pliers thereto. The clips are thus held in the U-shaped frame in horizontal position projecting inward since the shanks thereof are wedged into the holes by the aforesaid crimping operation.

This target holder is also provided with a forked memher having pointed ends to facilitate driving them into the ground. The upper portion of the forked member is substantially flat so that the bottom or" the U-shaped frame member may be bolted thereto. This upper portion is also provided with additional holes for receiving the afore said bolts whereby the target may be supported from the side of a hill if desired.

Additional details and features of this invention will be set forth in the following specification, claims and drawings in which briefly:

FIG. 1 is a side view of this adjustable target holder;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of one of the alligator clips taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another detail view of one of the alligator clips;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the position of the upright members of the U-shaped frame in dotted outline prior to the insertion of the target into the jaws of the alligator clips; and

FIG. 7 shows a view of this target mounted in the side of a hill instead of in fiat terrain.

Referring to the drawing in detail there is shown in PEG. 1 a side view of an embodiment of this invention employing a U-shaped frame 10 having upright members 11 and 12 and bottom members 13 and 14 which are adapted to overlap each other by different predetermined lengths, depending upon the size of the target 21 that is to be supported by the alligator clips 20 in the U- shaped frame. These members are all made of flat steel or other stock as desired. Each of the bottom portions 13 and 14 is provided with a plurality of holes such as the holes 15a in the bottom portion 13 and the holes 1511 in the bottom portion 14, as shown in FIG. 3. Selected ones of these holes are adapted to be aligned for the purpose of receiving the machine screws 15 which are provided with wing nuts 16 and which extend through suitable holes formed in the upper part 17 of the forked support. This support may be made of round or square steel stock and it is provided withthe pointed members 18 and Th which are adapted to be driven into the ground for the purpose of supporting this device.

The upright member 11 and 12 are provided with aligned holes such as the hole 12a shown in FIG. 2 which are adapted to receive the substantially circular and tubular shanks 26 of the alligator clips 20. These alligator clips are of conventional construction and they are available commercially invvarious radio service stores. They are each provided with jaws 22 and 23 which have serrated opposing edges for gripping the target surface and these jaws are pivotally held together by means of the pivot pin 24 around which the coil portion of the spring 25 is positioned. The spring 25 provides spring tension which keeps the jaws 22 and 23 closed. The jaw 22 is provided with an extension that extends in the opposite direction therefrom from the pivot 24 and which is integral therewith. This extension is of tubular configuration and is of a diameter to snugly fit in the hole 12a. Thus when the projecting end portion of the tubular shank, is crimped to flatten it as shown at 27, the flattened portion 26a is brought up against the member 12 and the clip 20 is rigidly held in the hole 12a in its horizontal position. The clips Ztl are thus assembled with the upright members ll and 12.

Before a target such as the target 21 is inserted into the jaws of the clips 20 the upright members 11 and 12 are displaced from their vertical position by about 5 degrees in each case, and this is illustrated in FIG. 6 in which the upright members 11 and 12 are shown in broken lines in their positions prior to inserting of the target in the clips 20. In positioning the target on this support it is first inserted into the clips 20 on one of the upright members, for example, the member 11. Thereafter the target is stretched so that it is taut along its upper portion and inserted into the upper clip 20 of the upright member 12 by gripping the target and pulling it slightly toward this member and at the same time gripping the upper clip of the upright member 12 and pulling it towards the target while the jaws of this clip are open. After the upper clip is fastened the other clips of the upright member 12 may be fastened likewise to the target, taking care that the target is flat and that the clips grip it uniformly.

This target holder may be employed for supporting the target on the side of a bill as shown in FIG. 7 if desired, and for this purpose the wing nuts 16 of the machine screws 15 are loosened and removed so that these machine screws may be inserted into the holes 17a of the forked support. Thus the U-shaped frame is attached to the forked support and held at right angles with respect thereto so that the pointed ends of the members 18 and 19 may be driven into the side of a bill as illustrated, and the target supported upright.

Also if desired in supporting small targets this device may be provided with only four clips 20 instead of six as illustrated.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that its scope should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In a target support for supporting paper targets and the like in stretched or taut condition comprising an adjustable U-shaped frame in which the upright members are normally spring tensioned outward, said upright mernbers each having a plurality of spaced holes extending therethrough, corresponding holes in each of said members being substantially in alignment, a plurality of alligator clips, said clips having substantially circular tubular portions adapted to fit into said holes, different ones of said clips having the tubular portion thereof extending through a diiferent one of said holes and having the free end of the tubular portion thereof crimped to hold the clips in said holes in rigid horizontal position pointing inward in said U-shaped frame so that side portions of the paper target may be gripped by the jaws of said alligator clips when said upright members of said frame are pressed inward against the spring tension thereof so that said target is held stretched and. taut when the pressure on said upright members is released, and means for supporting said frame in a vertical position attached thereto.

2. In a target support for supporting paper targets and the like in stretched or taut condition comprising an adjustable U-s'haped frame in which the upright members we normally spring tensioned outward, said upright members each having a plurality of spaced holes extending therethrough, corresponding holes in each of said members being substantially in alignment, a plurality of alligator clips, said clips having substantially circular tubular portions adapted to fit into said holes, different ones of said clips having the tubular portion thereof extending through a different one of said holes and having the free end of the tubular portion thereof crimped to hold the clips in said holes in rigid horizontal position pointing inward in said U-shaped frame so that side portions of the paper target may be gripped by the jaws of said alligator clips when said upright members of said frame are pressed inward against the spring tension thereof so that said target is held stretched and taut when the pressure on said upright members is released, said U-shaped frame comprising two parts, one of said parts including one of the upright members together with a horizontal member and the other of said parts including the other upright member together with another horizontal member, said horizontal members being adapted to be overlapped different distances so that different size targets may be supported by said clips between said upright members, and means attached to said horizontal members for supporting said frame in a vertical position.

3. In a target support for supporting paper targets and the like in stretched or taut condition comprising an adjustable U-shaped frame in which the upright members each have a plurality of spaced holes extending therethrough, corresponding holes in each of said members being substantially in alignment, a plurality of alligator clips, said clips having substantially circular tubular portions adapted to fit into said holes, different ones of said clips having the tubular portion thereof extending through a different one of said holes and having the free end of the tubular portion thereof crimped to hold the clips in 4 said holes in rigid horizontal posiiton pointing inward in said U-shaped frame so that side portions of the paper target may be gripped by the jaws of said alligator clips, said U-shaped frame being made of fiat resilient steel and said upright members being normally tilted outward at a small angle so that when the target is inserted into the jaws of said clips said upright members of said frame are pressed inward against the spring tension due to said res'ilience thereof so that said target is held stretched and taut when the pressure on said upright members is released.

Miller Jan. 16, 1951 Adamson Nov. 1, 1955 

1. IN A TARGET SUPPORT FOR SUPPORTING PAPER TARGETS AND THE LIKE IN STRETCHED OR TAUT CONDITION COMPRISING AN ADJUSTABLE U-SHAPED FRAME IN WHICH THE UPRIGHT MEMBERS ARE NORMALLY SPRING TENSIONED OUTWARD, SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS EACH HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED HOLES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, CORRESPONDING HOLES IN EACH OF SAID MEMBERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALIGNMENT, A PLURALITY OF ALLIGATOR CLIPS, SAID CLIPS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR TUBULAR PORTIONS ADAPTED TO FIT INTO SAID HOLES, DIFFERENT ONES OF SAID CLIPS HAVING THE TUBULAR PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING THROUGH A DIFFERENT ONE OF SAID HOLES AND HAVING THE FREE 